Appabatus eob



C. W. IVICKBBEN.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS iN EMULSION.

APPLC/OION FILED JULY 26.19l8.

Patented May 27, 1919.

A A A w v v v A v/A CHARLES W. MCKIBBEN, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUDS IN EMULSION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

Application led July 26, 1918. Serial No. 246,830.

another, as when said liquids are found in emulsions and has especial reference to means for rapidly and effectually dehydrating petroleum oil emulsions.

One of the specific objects of myl invention is to provide a conduit container or treater within which liquids of different specific gravity and differing in specific electrical conductivity may be separated with particular reference to the separation. of entrapped Water from crude oil, as wheir these liquids are found in emulsified associatlon.

The apparatus which I am about to describe is especially well adapted for carrying my method of separating Water from oil, as disclosed in my-copendlng appllcation, filed January 22, 1918 and identified by Serial Number 213,236, into' effect. In this method of procedure, the globules of water, confined in the oil, are polarized by passing the liquids or emulsions through a very intense electric field of'relatively long, narrow dimensions, at a velocity that issuflicient only to permit nascent formation of chains of globules of entrap-ped water. The stress due to the rapid movement of the Water and the attenuation of the oil laments surrounding the globules, due to the polar stress, vcoperating tobreak asunder the oil filaments to free the Water and ermit coarlescence of the smaller globules into larger bodies of free Water, preventing the formation of developed short-circuiting chains between the electrodes and across the electric field.

In my copending application for an apparatus for separatin liquids, led June 24,

1917, and identifier by Serial No. 203,695,

I have shown an apparatusvery similar to that disclosed inthe drawings of thepresent application. In the former application, however, the claims presented inthe case were of such a character that specic claims for the other features of the invention Were not permissible and therefore in this present application the claim is addressed to different features of the apparatus disclosed in the prior application.

In the accompanying drawings, the device shown is an apparatus for treating emull sions as they are rapidly moved through the apparatus. It consists of a vertically disposed metal lipe or conduit 1, of relatively small diameter, and of considerable length, preferably curved at its lower end, as at 2, so that the liquid entering it Will .notbe impeded in its movement to so great an eX tent as ifa sharper `angle were employed. The upper end of the conduit l is axially open and projectsl into a relatively large casing 3, closed at its bottom around the conduit 1 as at i. The upper end of the casing 3, as at 5, is located some distance from the upper end of the conduit 1, -as at (i, for a reason to be hereinafter more fully disclosed. A central conductor 'i' may' consist of a gas pipe of suitable dimensions-I have found a pipe yabout six inches in diameter admirablysuitable for the purposeis suspended in an insulating cover support 8, which rests upon the edge of the casing 3, as at 5, and is provided with a central boss 9, which has, preferably, a tapered opening for a split plug 10. The central conductor 'T may extend ,to any distance within the conduit 1, depending upon the rapidity with which the. fluid moves through the conduit; the strength of the current and the character of the emulsion that is being treated. The arrangement is such that the central conductor 7 may be raised or vlowered m the condult l, to vary the contact resistance between the central conductor and the linner wall of the conduit 1, to correspond formed Ibetween the conductors or electrodes 6 and 7. A water glass 13 is preferably placed in vone side of the casing `3 to show lthe altitude of the liquid within'the casing. It is/ very desirable, inthe practical operation of my device, that' the liquid line ltbe maintained some distance below the upper end 6 of the conduit 1. The valve 12 is one means for regulating the altitude of the liquid line 14. as it may be opened or closed, depending upon the pressure exerted upon the liquids passing thiough the central conduit. If the discharge of the materials through the pipe 11 is faster than it comes in through the pipe 16, then the line 1t Will gradually fall, but if' the liquid, coming through the pipe 16, is greater 1n volume than that which flows out through the pipe 11, then the line 11 will rise. It desirable to maintain it at a constant alt1 tude.

The closure 8 is preferably provided with annular sharp proJections to break up the film of moisture to prevent short circuiting between the central conductor 7 and the casing 3.

Near thetop of the casing 3 and communicating with the vapor space 3 I prefer to insert a pipe 26 and in the pipe I place a safety valve 2T adjustable by a Weight 28 along a .pivoted arm 29 to open at a predetermined pressure within the casing 3. On the outer end of the pipe 26 I place an open casing 30 havin its large en'd covered with one or more pertorate diaphragme 31, which provides a vent for the chamber 3 when pressure therein is undesirably increased The gases within the chamber 3 are sometimes ignited by an arc produced by the treating current, thus causing rapid expansion and greatly increasing the pressure Within the treater. Upon such occasion, the safety .valve 27 will automatically open and allow some of the gases and products of combustion to escape through the vent head 30. The foraminated diaphragms 31 will however prevent the flame from being projected outside of' the treater. The oxygen within the treater is therefore quickly consumed and the flame extinguished, whereupon the pressure being reduced, the safety valve 27will automatically close.

I have shown a connection 33 at the bottom curved end of the treater 1, to which may be connected a settling chamber comprising a relatively long pipe A3l to contain the entrained water that may settle therein by effect of gravity as the emulsion is being treated in the pipe 1. A Water glass 35 is a means for indicating the quantity oftwater and emulsion in the sett-ling pipe 34 and means may be provided for drawing the water oli.

I. have shown an alternating, substantially constant current transformer 20, having a secondary coil 21 connected to the ground, as at. 22, and the other end connected to the central conductor 7, by a Wire 23. This coil is automatically moved vertically, with respect to the primary coil 24, which is directly connected to the alternating dynamo 25 and which is relatively stationary. This form of transformer is well known in the art and is a means by which the current passing through the treater, may be prevented from increasing to a dangerous extent and furthermore it is a means by which current may be maintained at substantially constant value under all conditions of operation of' the treater. v

When the emulsion is passed through the pipe 16 into the vertical pipe or conduit 1, it moves with considerable velocity and the joint effect of the rapidly moving liquid with the polarizing effect of the current, through the electric field of Which the oil is rapidly passed, and which exists between the inner surface of the conduit 1 and the outer surface of the conductor 7, the libera-` tion of the globules of water takes place almost as soon as the emulsion enters the electrical field.

Ebullition of gases or steam generated by the heating effect of the current, tends to cause the liquid to spray with considerable force from the upper end 6 of the conduit 1. Now if the upper end of the conduit is too close to the support 3, by the means of which the central conductoris held in place, the spray from the outcoming oil and Water will be deposited upon the inner surface of the closure support S and cause short-circuit from the central conductor 7 to the outer surface of the casing` 3, by the salt in the water that hasbeen separated from the oil in emulsion. It is very desirable, and in fact, essential, that the oil'and water should leave the conduit instantly at the time when it reaches the opening a't the'end 6, so as not to be held or entrapped therein to form eddies and it is furthermore desirable that it should move away from the opening of the conduit 6- to some distance, as for instance to the level 11, so that after the separation between the* oil and entrapped Water has been once accomplished, the. separated liquids are quickly moved entirely out of the field throughwhich they passed during this transformation.A

I have found, from empirical investigation, that tliev rapidity of the fluid movingrrv through the treater pipe 1, together With the ebullition produced by the evolution of steam or other gases effected by the operation of the electric'current, tends to cause considerable bombardment of sprayed particles of Water and oil in a vertical direction beyond the end of the pipe and for this reason, to prevent' it from settling on and condensing upon the surfaces of the support 8, I have removed the support sufficiently away' from the end 6 ofthe conduit so that the support will remain relatively dry.

I t. is of course not essential that the casing 3 should be present in the structure, in order that the treater may perform the desired functions intended, because the oil leaving the end G. could be permitted to pass rapidly through the central conduit 1 and fall upon 130 effected by the structure disclosedv in the drawing.

While I have herein shown and described a single embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of clear disclosure, it is manifest that some changes may be made in the general arrangement and disposition of the parts Within the epe of the appended claim.

Having described iny invention, what I `claim is A treater comprising a vertically disposed pipe having its upper end freely open Within a surroundmg casing; a concentrically disposed casing closed at its upper end and having its lower end contracted and closed by sald pipe; a vertically adjustable electrode in said pipe and casing; a valve to divide the chamber therein into a liquid chamber and a gas chamber and a pressure responsive valve vcommunicating with the gas chamber to vent it when pressure therein reaches a predetermined point.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

CHARLES W. MCKIBBEN. 

